


The Accidental Mistress

by kishanta



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood and Gore, Bondage, Dark Comedy, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kink Meme, Kinks, M/M, Magister Hawke, Multi, Other, Psychological Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Slavery, Smut, Tevinter Imperium, Time Travel, Torture, non-canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2018-09-26 08:26:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9876452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kishanta/pseuds/kishanta
Summary: Aria Hawke just wanted to spend the rest of her days alone and quiet. But after a call comes in requiring her aid, she bites off more than she can chew. Sent back in time due to a blood magic ritual gone awry, she must figure out how to traverse the terse political landscape of the Tervinter Imperium.It doesn't help that she accidentally becomes a Magister and is now responsible for a household full of slaves. To make matters worse she's managed to piss of Danarius and win his most prized slave: a white haired elven warrior names Fenris.But the real cherry on top was that in her attempt to get back home, she's stumbled upon a blood mage conspiracy and become enemy number one to Danarius and his court.Fenris/F!Hawke Magister/Slave dynamic that slowly becomes more and stays as consensual as possible.





	1. A Trip in Time (Chapter 1)

**Author's Note:**

> Announcement: I also have a Tumblr for writing fanfiction now. If you want updates, questions, chat with me, request promps or oneshots, and get updates on new projects first, please check it out! It's Pessimistic Punctuation Or Pessimisticpunctuation.tumblr.com
> 
> uthor's Notes: Hello all! Welcome to my new story, I hope you all find it well. It is 100% an original story-line that will not follow the games at all. sorry this is AU! This is not my main story but I have a few chapters already prepared so I can update this at least monthly. I hope you enjoy this and I hope you like my version of Hawke! There will be characters in this story as well from the games, and I will also be giving you all trigger warnings. This is a dark and mature story that will have sensitive scenes and triggering moments. I will do my best not to glorify or overfill the story with trauma, but this is just as much about Fenris' story as Hawke's and I want to write this realistically, at least his battling with his abuse and life as a slave etc.
> 
> Hawke's relationship with Fenris will border non-consensual only because of the power dynamic. I will do my best to keep the consent clear and there between them and show Hawke's struggles with this as well. Fenris will slowly become less of a slave and more of the warrior we know and love as time goes on, along with it his relationship with Hawke will progress.

**~Start Chapter 1~** _Trigger Warnings: Child abuse, abuse, minor gore, mention of injuries and whipping, substance abuse mentions, blood mention_

A mess, that's what she was. From the moment of her birth she was told she was cursed. Cursed to outlive her family, cursed to abusive relationships, cursed to the confines of her ancestry. Hiding behind a haze to avoid the world.

She was addicted to mess, to danger, to pain. Or so she had begun telling herself. It was easier that way to explain away the grief and traumatic moments as merely her fate.

A long ago steeled heart pushed her forward through a series of bad choices and life long regrets. There wasn't a moment she didn't remember hearing of her cursed upbringing. She was alone in the end, it was easier.

She was told she could have been beautiful, if only she acted like a lady. If only she didn't bear the curse of magic.

Scoffing at such thoughts, bony fingers pulled at the cigarette betwixt her fingers. It did her no good to dwell on her past, she moved here to escape it for a reason. Leave it behind to burn into dust.

At least she wasn't some sort of meth head or other form of addled drug addict. Despite her poor choices, she had never gone down that road. The one thing she'd never break down and do.

That, and blood magic.

Scuffed black boots clicked, the cigarette butt falling to the cement, it's embers sparking around the butt like fire works.

One of the boots pressed down on it sufficiently putting it out. As much of a mess as she was, she was never interested in accidentally starting a fire, winter or not.

"Aria what are you doing? Get the fuck inside before the bouncer decides it's full." a tall blond stick of a thing proclaimed in pure annoyance. Her tanned skin glowed under the streetlamps, beads of sweat reflecting the light.

"Fuck me I can't even finish a cigarette in peace anymore." Aria sighed, hands pushing the box into the back on her worn and torn jeans.

"Then fucking quit, don't be such a bitch because you still carry such a juvenile and disgusting habit." her blood red lips sneered as she pulled Aria's arm.

"You smoke pot all day, you can't quit cigarettes and fucking act all high and mighty, I saw you snort that adderall off that guy's chest last weekend for fuck's sake."

"Oh don't even start, sometimes you need a fucking pick me up," equally red nails bit into Aria's arm in annoyance, "Fucking move."

With a soft shove Aria was enshrouded with the heavy stench of booze, body spray, and sweat. The darkness illuminated with flashing lights, music thundering to the point she couldn't hear her friends complaints anymore.

**~Break~**

The night went on, in a pleasantly drunk high, Aria danced grinding up against whoever was closest. Fingers gripped at her flesh, sweat dripped all over her skin. As she looked out into the darkness she saw the shape of a lithe but lean man. What caught her gaze was the bright white hair illuminating under the blacklights. The marks on his faces reminding her of the rave scene, glowing blue.

Everything was a blur as she squinted, the man rubbing against her forgotten. She felt too hot as his gaze fell on her.

His eyes were so cold, she couldn't tell the shape, but the gaze, she could feel it searing her skin. What caught her was the ethereal glow of his ocean green eyes.

Everything felt slowed as he turned to face her and all she could do was slowly push through the mass of people to trace the marks on his skin.

As she neared to see the strange dark contours of what he was wearing, a hand gripped her shoulder. A pain seared her skin, goosebumps prickling.

Her friends mouth moved silently. Blinking hard she tried to make sense of what was being said before she couldn't remember anymore.

**~Break~**

Slowly her eyes fluttered against her pale cheeks, her body shifting slightly under the blankets. She felt a sweltering heat come from her shoulder, but she couldn't be bothered to deal with it over her pounding head. Whether it was from her vision or hangover she'd never know.

She tilted her blue eyes and scanned her upturned room with a scowl. Shit, she must have been beyond wasted last night.

She eased herself into a sitting position and winced again at the pounding pain that ebbed in and out, like a waning moon. With a flick of her wrist she pulled a bottle and glass of water off her kitchen counter with ease. They landed smoothly in her hands as she pulled a sweaty hand through her oily hair, scratching her scalp lightly as she went.

She took a swig of water, relishing it's cool effect on her dry throat. Next she tilted her head back, popping two pain killers and lifted herself to a stand. She pushed through her dirty clothing, and tripped over a pair of heels as she reached her bathroom door. Entering she took note of the mess her long black hair was. Her sapphire blue eyes glowed eerily back at her, her pale and sickly skin making her look sunken in. Her eyes had dark circles, and where her skin wasn't a pale white, it was red and blotchy.

She mussed with her fringe a bit, before deciding a shower was worth the risk of making her headache worse.

As she washed last night's filth away, she also washed away the remnants of her vision. It had all felt so real in the moment.

She always hated having the sight.

**~Break~**

Aria puffed out a short breath and sighed deeply as she realized she was out of dish soap and would need to leave the warmth of her apartment and brave the sleet and snow that had been coming down all day.

She wasn't really invested in it, in fact it was probably one of the more irritating things on her agenda. As she was debating whether she could use her shampoo to wash her dirtied cups, her cell phone rang from her bedside and she bolted, tripping again over the same blanket, and lunged onto her bed, pulling the thin phone into her hands.

"Hello?" She greeted, trying to move her fringe out of her eyes where it had fallen.

"Ms. Hawke?" The voice spoke over the phone as Aria internally swore inside her head.

"Speaking." She sighed as she pushed the phone into the crick of her neck and sat up fully.

"We had an incident at the Arcanum." the distressed voice spoke up causing Aria to curse out loud this time.

"Are you kidding me?" She whispered to herself as she pressed the pads of her fingers to the bridge of her nose.

"I'm not m'am, the Archmage has requested your assistance." the voice, she had finally recognized, belonged to one of the local APD, or Arcanum Police Department. She had met him once before, his name was Miles if she remember correctly, Officer Miles.

"I'll be there in twenty, is there anything I should know?" She sounded irritated now, shit that wasn't going to win her any points within the APD. She was already hated enough by them.

"An acolyte there attempted to enter the fade on his own, it's a mess m'am." he sounded like a good 'ol boy, doing god's work. She could almost hear his zealous rant on his reasons for joining the APD.

Aria didn't much care for them. It was an attempt to remove the oppression of mages hundreds of years ago. For the most part it worked, but internal bigotry still existed in excess.

The Arcanum was now a school for mages. It also usually housed important governing mages for each province. This particular one was also the home of the Archmage and his council. Each province had their own Arcanum, which oversaw all mage laws as well as worked with the local APD to ensure that non-mages and mages alike could co-exist happily.

There had once been a bloody war within one of the first provinces that allowed mages freedom from what had once been known as the circle. Only, they abused non-mages instead. Taking slaves and committing horrible acts. It was a dark time in their history.

It had taken a long time and had become nothing more than faded history. But Aria knew it well, she had read a lot about the Province once known as Tervinter. It was the same home she lived in now, having moved from a province farther south.

This province was now known as Arcadia. It was where the head Arcanum was located, a place only the best and brightest mages were sent. She had been sent to work there after her own graduation four years ago.

While all the provinces had their own governments and cities, the mages were all a part of the same collective Arcanum, which helped keep people from abusing their powers or abilities as easily ever again. Hold those with power to a higher and different standard and all that.

What a load of bull.

Aria Hawke was what you would consider the equivalent of an APD officer, but for the Archmage. She had been given the position three years ago after she had handled an acolyte that had made a deal with a demon and had taken over the fourth floor of the Arcanum. The Archmage was so impressed she was promoted from security to an actual officer, which was saying something considering her age.

Her official title was Magus, she was a member of the official police force of the Archmage. She was basically a glorified clean-up crew. Which meant her job was LITERALLY to piss off the APD. She hated having to save face for the bumbling buffoons that would sooner shoot her than anything else.

Locking her apartment door, she adjusted the staff on her hip, taking care to keep her gun holster free just in case.

She quickly ducked into her underground entering her small black sedan and started it up, her breath fogging against the windshield as she turned the key.

'I fucking hate winter...' she groaned to herself as her engine started up and she pushed the stick into gear and slowly drove out of her parkade.

**~Break~**

It was more than just an incident. It seemed that the Acolyte had not only tried to make a deal with a demon, but had wanted to use blood magic to bind the demon under his control. What a stupid idiot. Blood magic was dangerous and wherever this kid had gotten the spell, it was from somewhere even more deadly.

The room was coated in the blood of at least four other acolytes the mage had sacrificed to start the ritual. However, it seemed the spell was half finished as the room was coated in lyrium, magic, and blood. Shit, what the hell had he summoned?

She noted the ravaged corpse of what she assumed was the student, before she turned to track down the dangerous entity that had been summoned.

"Put in a complete lockdown, call the APD's Templar Unit now." She ordered the APD officer who had trailed in after her, holding a hand to their mouth in an attempt to keep their lunch down.

"Yes ma'am."

Aria took a moment to center herself and her magic, and slowly found the tether of fel magic. a

She followed it through the eerie quiet halls. There wasn't anymore blood, to which she was thankful, but something didn't sit right.

Why wasn't the demon trying to kill her or anyone else?

She felt the pull of the demon and the fade as she found the doors to the altar room open. She slowly walked in, her staff snapping open and elongating from the bottom. The first thing she noticed was the darkness encapsulating the room, and the candles lining each pew, as well as the entirety of the altar.

As she approached it she felt the doors to the room slam shut and she quickly summoned a fireball into her hand as she stood at the ready. A soft cackle lept through the room and caused a shiver to coarse up Aria's spine.

"Oh little mage, you have no idea do you...once a blood ritual is started, it must be finished. However, I refuse to be the one bound..." It hissed as she could hear the wet bloodied lips of the monster twist as it spoke.

"You can try." Aria spoke resolutely. She had faced more than her fair share of demons at this point. This one didn't scare her.

"Poor little Mage, no idea where I have come from. Did you know the fade is not ruled by time, nor the rules of your reality?" It spoke, a cackle trailing it's words. Another wet sound snapped Aria back to her searching of the creature.

Whatever it was she wasn't so sure it was a demon anymore.

"Show yourself." She spoke as she sent out a rush of magic, the room illuminating bright suddenly as the candles raged with fire.

"Such a powerful little mageling...so tasty..." she heard its voice right against the shell of her left ear and she pivoted, her staff coming out with a blast of light.

The creature shrieked as it pulled back, slinking towards the altar, a glare in its beady black eyes. Aria smirked and walked towards the altar, intent to finish this so she could go back home and relax on her only day off.

"Silly mageling, you all think yourself so powerful, so above everyone else...you always fail to notice through your egotistical ideals that you've been sufficiently trapped!" it chirped.

Aria realized much too late she had stepped through the circle of a powerful ritual. She noticed the thin line of blood brighten up and glow a horrible deep maroon as a barrier erected effectively trapping her with the creature.

She suppressed a growl as she twisted her head around to view the creature fully. It had small black eyes with no whites. The body was long, almost feminine looking, but when you looked closely the back was too long, the spine too spiked, and the chest was flat. The creatures skin was a deep ebony, fading in spots to a smokey grey.

It's lips dripped dark maroon blood as it's overly wide smile opened, showing an array of deepset pointed teeth. It reminded her way too much of a shark, it's nose almost slopped in a similar manner with small slits.

"I can look more like you, if that would set you at ease." It laughed, a dark purple tongue slipping out to taste the dripping blood on it's chin.

"I am perfectly fine with you as you are demon." She spoke, conjuring another bout of light in hopes to send this shadow creature back to where it came from.

"The ritual must be completed girl, and I refuse for it to be me." It advanced faster than anything she had ever fought before, and so she tripped on the altar causing herself, and all the candles, to tumble to the ground igniting the velvet curtains hanging around the altar.

Aria let out a scream as a red hot pain spiked up her arm where the fire had started to lick at her sweater. She quickly cast a water spell and struggled to her feet, using her staff as leverage. Her arm was now wet and stinking of singed flesh causing her stomach to curdle.

The monster was cackling now, it's nose pressing against hers as it's eyes stared deeply into her deep blue ones. It started chanting, its long claw-like fingers digging into her flesh. She could feel her skin starting to tear as she tried to pull away, her head locked where it was against the monsters.

"You will take my place, once the ritual is started it can never be undone. However, that little mageling is dead, so into the fade we shall go, the next ritual attempted, you shall take my place." It laughed as she realized throughout its chanting they had entered the fade.

'Shit' Aria thought as she broke away from the monster, feeling her arms burn in protest as rivers of blood started to bleed into her grey sweater. She had to do something fast.

As the last bit of the room faded from view, she quickly cast out her magic hoping to open a portal before the last of her home disappeared from her grasping fingertips.

'Please...' she thought hopelessly as her mind became fuzzy in the fade, and the monsters horrible grin tilting in ecstasy.

**~Break~**

Aria awoke to the feeling of a beating sun, and a bustling city. Sitting up with a groan she noticed her skin was flushed and overheated. Pulling her grey sweater off, leaving her in her dark grey tank top, she relished the cool breeze that licked at her sweaty skin.

Looking around she noticed people wandering around, some with large pointed ears, other's with long intricate robes, covered in golds, silvers, and precious gems.

"What in the..." she whispered to herself as she grabbed her staff, strapping it to her side once again.

The people walking through the cobbled roads gave her strange looks, and sometimes think glares, as she passed them. She was in awe at where she was and couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was all drastically familiar.

"Ahh Serah!" A voice spoke starling Aria from her inspection of her surroundings.

"Ser...ah?" She whispered to herself, no one called anyone THAT anymore.

"How can I help a fine mage such as yourself?" He spoke, eying the staff she was holding.

"No help necessary, I am fine..." She waved off as she turned to walk away, "Wait!" She shouted suddenly, "Can you tell me where I am?" She asked hoping she could find the local airport and get home.

"Why yes Serah! You are in the grand Tervinter Imperium!" her blood ran cold at that and she almost thought he was joking.

"Oh...the...date?" She inquired, not wanting to admit her possible displacement in time.

"It is currently the ninth age of Thedas!" the merchant exclaimed once more.

Yeah that caused her blood to run cold as ice. Fuck. She wasn't even CLOSE to being born. Shit.

"I must admit, I am a touch lost...do you know if there are any embassies?" She inquired quietly, hoping to not sound to out of place.

"There is the senate...they may be able to help a mage such as yourself! Assuming you have coin..." he trailed off, rubbing his throat with his large tanned hand.

"Would you mind helping me find it?"

"Why yes Serah!" The merchant was much to pleased to oblige.

Shit, he was probably going to expect coin and Aria had none to speak of.

**~Break~**

She was shown to a large decorated white marble building, covered in gorgeous tapestry. Steeling herself she took a breath and turned to the merchant promising repayment once she had settled her affairs here.

Hoping she could anyways.

The man smiled happily and let her know where to find him and went on his way. From how she was being treated for being a mage, she assumed this was when the circle had taken over and had created their own Senate.

"Can I help you?" An accented voice spoke as she entered the grandiose hall. The girl had chin length dark black hair, and a narrow face. Her sharp eyes held cold ice blue eyes that ghosted over Aria's body in disdain.

"I am looking for the Tervinter Imperium Senate, I am a mage finding myself lost and in need of assistance." She bowed, hoping to appear unassuming. The woman before her regarded her coldly as she moved towards her, her thin orchid coloured silks brushing the marble floor.

Her mouth curved into a grin as she came to stand before Aria, taking note of her shambled appearance and strange clothing. She clucked her tongue in amusement and her gaze finishing raking over her form to rest on her face.

"As uncouth as you appear, you are most definitely a mage." Her lips pursed in a thin line as she opened her mouth to say something more, but was halted by the large double doors at the end of the entry hall swinging open.

"Hadriana, what is taking you so long?" A deep pitch startled both mages to turn and regard a much older Mage with greying ear length hair. To his left was a white haired elf wearing dark spiked black armor.

Aria's intake of breath seemed to catch his ears because he turned to her with a glare, before coolly standing at the ready beside the elder mage.

She recognized him from her vision at the club. Those markings were unmistakable.

"Danarius!" Hadriana gasped as she bowed long and low before flitting to his side, "This mage is in need of assistance from the Senate." She laughed, her voice ringing cruelty.

Aria didn't miss the slight flinch of the white haired man's eyes at all.

"Is she now?" He placed a hand on his bearded chin and his grin swept wide and clean as he shifted his gaze between herself and the white haired man behind him. It seemed she was a butt of some sort of joke.

"Interested?" He boasted, stepping away from the man in question as he noticed her curious gaze.

"No." Aria crisply spoke, wanting to leave the heavy blanket of danger that had settled over the room.

"He is a work of art, truly. An elf is largely useless, no better than a slave. But I've discovered a way to make him useful for mages." His perfectly kept pearly whites glistened in the golden light of the room and Aria felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"How lovely for him." She dryly remarked, her anger starting to bubble at the mention of slaves. Elves didn't exist in her time, she was more than startled to find them in fact. Wherever they had gone in her time, she could hardly blame them seeing the treatment of them as less than human.

"Yes, well, shall we?" He swept his arm out as he looked at the man expectantly. He bowed and moved to shadow Danarius as he escorted Aria into the main atrium.

Aria avoided his arm as he offered it, instead walking in front of him, wanting to avoid being near the unsettling elf.

As she entered she noticed a few of the Magister's still hanging around the room, a meeting long done.

"What is your name?" Danarius inquired as he swept in beside her, his own silk robes stirring a small amount of noise in the quiet room.

"Aria Hawke." She spoke smoothy, regarding the other Magisters as they stared down at her from their angled seats along the far wall.

"Does she have any holdings in Tervinter?" The youngest man there inquired.

Aria faltered, shit. She didn't have anything in this time. Swallowing thickly she attempted to form some sort of words to gloss over the lack of coin and titles.

"I-well...I am not from the Tervinter Imperium, but I have heard mages are free of the circle here." She lied without missing a beat.

"Curious..." The sandy blond haired man whispered as he came around his seat to inspect her, "It is clear you are not from low stock looking at the care your body has had, however no title and no coin means we cannot help you." and like that she was doused in cold water.

"Of course..." She whispered as she moved to leave, her face burning in rage and embarrassment. She missed the flicker of eyes the white haired elf threw her as she stalked out. Hadriana's laughter playing backdrop to her defeat.

It was clear no one expected her to gain any help, she was no more than a mere amusement to the Magisters here.

As she entered the main hall again, she noticed the shriek of a young girl as the crack of a whip snapped through the air.

Rushing forward Aria found a young elf girl, no older than 14, with her clothing torn off of her upper body, her back covered in deep bloody whip marks.

"What the fuck?!" Aria screamed as she rushed forward, stalling the whip with her magic, a glare set on her face.

"And who are you." The angry looking middle-aged man growled, his dark hair covering one deep brown eye, the other stared deeply into her own before he pulled the whip from her magic and stepped away from the elf.

"I am Aria Hawke, the one stopping you from this blatant display of abuse." She all but growled, her eyes matching his own.

"Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do with my property." He summoned a fireball and Aria stood her ground, stifling the flinch that wanted to break free.

"Aria Hawke, like I said. I refuse to stand here and accept your treatment of this child." She stepped in front of the young elf and glared defiantly at the magister before her.

"Well well well..." Danarius clapped as he walked forward, stepping between the two seething mages.

"Andrian is correct, you have insulted and challenged a magister, if you wish to take claim to this slave, you must win in a magical duel-"

"Then I challenge." Aria ground out, not missing a beat. She knew she was in over her head. It would do her better to blend in and lay low.

But she was a child. Aria couldn't stand to bear the thought of leaving her.

**~Break~**

And that was how she found herself in her particular brand of a mess. She wasn't quite sure what possessed her to challenge him, much less enter into a fight to the proverbial death. But she had done it and there was no going back.

So here she was, startled from the literally two second fight, staring down at the impaled form of what used to be one of the more important Magisters of Tervinter.

Shit.

That wasn't supposed to happen, but the mage before her was cocky and didn't think she was anything more than another plaything.

That had been his downfall, but it wasn't meant to be his death.

"Well well well." Danarius clapped again as he came to stand beside her, laughter dancing in his eyes.

"I didn't mean..." Aria slowly spoke, her words feeling heavy on her tongue. She had never taken a life before. She assumed he'd have blocked, taken her even a little seriously. She took him at his title assuming him to be strong, how wrong she was.

"Of course you did, now you gain his title and house, smart little mage aren't you" He laughed as he walked past her, his white haired elf and what she assumed was his apprentice trailing after him. It was as if she had planned this to everyone else.

She locked gazes with the white haired elf from her dreams and she all but lost her breath. He turned away, the look on his face giving nothing as he disappeared out the double doors.

**~End of Chapter 1~**


	2. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke finally meets the newest addition to her household, Fenris. Things don't go exactly as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This chapter feels so unpolished despite going over it several times. UGH! I hate huge time skips, I need to practice proper recaps. So now we get to meet Fenris proper! I am happy for the responses so far, and WOW, I had NO IDEA how popular this story would be. I am tickled pink you all like it so far! I hope to keep doing this justice! Please enjoy chapter 2!

**~Start of Chapter 2~**

It had been three years since that fateful day. Three years and she was now only known now as Magister Hawke. She had effectively stopped being Aria, and become a cold magister, playing the part as perfectly as she could. Learning new rules, and playing the political games that the Tervinter Imperium provided.

The young elf she had saved, whose name was Yirel, ended up thanking her and pledging herself to her house forever with such intent that Aria had allowed her to become the house's Steward. She handled all the affairs for Aria, and as it turned out, she was damn good at it. She helped her navigate the new rules and societal requirements of being a magister, as wekk as becoming something of a confidant.

The particular magister she had taken out was also a member of the senate, providing her with his seat and ample opportunity to ruin a few bigots days where she could. But she had to use tact; it would be a death sentence to be openly in support of slave rights and openly against the Tervinter Imperium.

If she was arrested or killed, those in her house would lose her protection. Those she freed risked danger in that abandonment. No, they were her responsibility now and she took that seriously. Everything was a perfectly balanced act.

She kept her home affairs private, making sure all of her servants, she refused to call them slaves, knew to stay quiet. Her own personal guard had been made up largely of slaves as well. Those who weren't slaves, were hired guards that had spent most of their time abusing the slaves on the estate prior to her taking over.

She had fired almost all of them keeping her personal guard small and trustworthy. Those who respected her decisions and pledged their loyalty to her house, and not the previous Magister's, got to stay.

It was no secret she kept herself surrounded by slaves, or rather elves as they all mostly were. Everyone assumed it was due to her cold heart and obsessive research, and not a single slave was willing to break her confidence to right that inaccuracy. Mutual benefit and all that.

Her home was safe, she protected them and had given a small sanctuary where she could. It did little to ease her guilt ridden heart however. She was still surviving off the backs of those who had no choices.

But if not with her, then with whom? Yirel had already told her of her life with their old magister. It was horrible, something no one should have to live through. It seemed you could only be so progressive in the Tervinter Imperium, magister or not.

She had already seen them strip a man of all his worth, killing most of his slaves like cattle for trying to free them, before he too was executed. The privilege of the elite was more important than basic rights, even to mages it seemed.

Sadly that did nothing to resolve the fact she had ended up piss in off Danarius, Tervinters most dangerous magister. He had wanted her to join him, offering up an array of slaves and wine for her use.

She declined spitefully, but returned none of the sent slaves, nor the wine.

Mysteriously they all disappeared after having been turned away at her door. She hadn't a clue what had happened to them, claiming she had sent them home not having a need, nor space, for more slaves.

Truthfully they were sent far away with a pocket full of coin, and a ship providing safe travel privately for such occasions. She had befriended a pirate a few years ago, and after a particularly drunken night where she was robbed, had come to an agreement with said pirate Captain. By the time Danarius expected their return, they were already halfway across the sea. She would have kept them easily if her accepting didn't send the wrong message to Danarius. It was dangerous to have him around her affairs anymore than he had been already.

She also honestly didn't have the space to take on every single slave that was offered to her either, most magisters had a revolving door due to 'accidental slave deaths', thus they always had space. She wasn't like that, and she was hardly going to broadcast that little fact to the entire senate.

The senate had ruled in her favour, that it was merely a case of slaves escaping and it was Danarius' responsibility to ensure their obedience. It was rare another magister would refuse such a gift, but not unheard of.

Such is life.

But things were becoming a lot more troublesome for Hawke after that. Hadriana had been snooping around sniffing up her seat viewing her as the weakest link. Danarius was clearly supporting it, and after discovering he had a lyrium branded bodyguard to call his own...

Yeah she was nervous to say the least. She had been to one such party on occasion where Fenris had pulled the beating heart from a slave girl that had accidentally dropped wine onto another magister's robes.

But now here she found herself, arguing with Danarius in a Senate meeting over the removal of basic slave rights, what little they had that is. Magisters wanted to be able to do as they wished without weighty laws in the way. While no one bothered to invoke any of the barbaric protections in place, it was still a headache to keep just in case someone tried. Someone such as Hawke.

Aria wanted to bring in more rights. The basic rights of food, medicine, toiletries, etc. It was still considered legal to only provide a minimum of 2 meals a week, and one glass of water a day. It was disgusting.

As you can imagine Danarius disagreed with her feverently. He believed they were property, and that's it.

"You are still new here. How dare you insult our ways." He boomed, his voice echoing through the chamber.

"Your old viewpoints will get you killed. It's time we evolve and start changing things for the better." Aria argued back. Her dark purple robes billowing as she moved her arms around angrily.

"You dare insult me? You are still a no one on the senate!" He shouted, his voice echoing off the chamber walls as he came to stand at his full height.

"I do dare. With how you treat people I'd be hard pressed to not dare." She all but hissed. It was no secret she sympathized with the slaves. However most assumed she followed Tervinter beliefs outside of a select few. Punishing her own as she saw fit inside the privacy of her own home.

Danarius knew different with the many house visits he had place during her first month in her new position. He soon realized she sympathized with the slaves in some way, and after that day he did everything he could to stall her at the senate or make her life harder.

Hadriana was often privy to ensuring that. On more than one occasion he had used his position, and hers, to take away slaves from her for various bullshit legal reasons. She was a cold hearted bitch who seemed to get off on torture.

While Hadriana wasn't on the senate, her father was. She was Danarius niece and apprentice as well as the daughter of another magister. The evil was strong in that family.

Most he had claimed ended up dead from his experiments. The rest sold, and a small few she had managed to buy back. Every single one had a story about that girl.

So to say she was itching for a fight was an understatement to be sure.

"Will you dare challenge me this time then?" he inquired boredly, knowing Aria was much weaker than himself. Danarius used blood magic, something Hawke was hardly aware of.

Aria mulled over her thoughts. She could challenge him and take away something he treasured. She could kill him and take his home. She could even push him from the Senate.

But then emerald green eyes flitted through her mind's eye and she knew why she had that vision all those years ago.

"I challenge you for the possession of the slave known as Fenris."

Danarius wasn't smiling anymore.

**~Break~**

Aria stood in the center of the atrium, her heart in her throat. Danarius made a show of slowly pulling his outer robes off and taking his staff from Hadriana, twirling it lightly as it sparked bits of fire.

Aria stood at the ready, her weapons more than capable if need be. Her old gun still maintained, rested at the small of her back just in case.

She barely heard the magister who was refereeing issue a countdown, but she was aware of the intense spikes of ice charging towards her. She dove away, splinters of ice decorating the room, sparkling like diamonds.

She quickly pivoted on her right foot, slamming her staff down causing a ring of fire to spread across the floor. Danarius quickly blinked across it, dashing towards her, fire in his hands. His face was twisted in a fury she had never rightly seen before, and she knew he enjoyed the blood he spilled.

She grabbed his left hand, the fire licking at her flesh for a moment, spinning him as she kicked his back, slamming him into the ground, slivers of ice cutting up his palms. As he stood to his feet, body shaking with rage, she noticed the flecks of blood on the marble floor, and he did too. It did nothing, but fuel his rage towards her, his calm exterior cracking.

"You bitch!" he shouted out as crackles of electricity shot from his skin. He turned towards her summoning a firestorm above the room causing everyone to dive to a safe area, and others to cast barriers.

Aria knew she was in for a rough ride, so she summoned some mage armor that took the brunt of the storm. She felt the heat, but kept her cool as she stared through bleary eyes, her arms up and ready.

Once it had ended she advanced on him, smashing his head with her staff as she twirled it. She went to summon her own electricity into the palm of her hand and struck his chest, stunning him briefly as she summoned another fireball.

However she heard the strangled noise of Hadriana as she grew pale and fell to the floor, blood starting to ooze from her nose. Twisting her head to find the source of the commotion, she missed the red glow surrounding Danarius.

Aria had only but a moment until she felt her throat seize and her brain pound. As she looked up she finally noticed an angry Danarius, hand outstretched and glowing red. He was using blood magic. He was probably using a more than happy to be used Hadriana to boot.

She felt her eyeballs start to swell and she scratched at her throat in panic. Blood magic was still illegal here, but no one seemed concerned. No one bothered to step in, and she realized just how much the senate wanted her dead.

Shit she had no idea how unmatched she truly was.

She felt blood pouring from her nose as she reached into the back of her robes pulling out the cold dark metal of her gun. Raising it a shot echoed and the pressure in her skull stopped.

Danarius was flat on his back, unconscious, blood pooling from the wound on his shoulder she had inflicted.

Lowering her weapon she teetered on her heels until she came crashing down herself.

"Aria Hawke is the winner!" She heard someone shout as her world slowly faded away.

**~Break~**

Fenris wasn't sure what to think when Danarius was carried out of the atrium unconscious and bleeding. What he did know, is it meant a brutal beating in the end for him.

So following obediently, head cast down, he followed his master through the main hall only to be halted by another magister.

"Slave, Danarius is no longer your master, if you have any intelligence left you'll go collect your new mistress and take her home." The magister who spoke was Danarius' brother Ronario. He hated Fenris and seemed to dislike even more what had occurred to his brother.

Fenris knew right then that it was a warning to collect his new mistress before she was killed herself. It being clear at this point what had occurred behind the senate doors to injure his old master so. Leaving him masterless and up for grabs from whomever killed her was a dangerous situation to be in so he hurried towards the doors before they fully closed. Entering the atrium Fenris felt the prickle of magic lick at his lyrium marks. Stifling the gasp of pain that would have come out if he were anyone else, he went over towards the fallen and bloodied form of his new master.

As he gingerly picked up her form her head lulled to the side and he got a good look at who now owned him

Aria Hawke.

The new idiot mage whose days were numbered. Great.

Fenris stifled the feeling of happiness that spread through his belly at escaping Danarius' clutches. He knew it was a matter of time until he came to kill Aria and claim him back. After all, Danarius was a blood mage through and through, and had ensured Fenris had little choice in the matter.

He had to do as his master bid. But, until Danarius was well enough, Fenris was free of him, if even for a moment.

He felt the warning from Ronario as he walked past him, holding his new mistress in his arms so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

Besides, she was a mage through and through. He would only survive this if he remembered that.

**~Break~**

Aria awoke to a pounding in her head. As she sat up she noticed that Yirel had cleaned her up and changed her into her bed clothes.

She swung her legs over the side of her bed as she stretched out her neck, her now longer hair tangling as she attempted to brush her fingers through it.

She stood without too much trouble and she rounded her bed and tripped over a form on the ground. Letting out an undignified shriek, she grasped at her bedding as she toppled over. She fell in a tumble of her bed clothes and bedding, landing on a warm and less than soft form that let out a grunt.

She rolled onto her back holding her head where she had hit it against the chest that lay at the end of her bed. Sitting up she noticed she was all but half laying on her new white haired elf.

Shit.

"Uhh...hi?" was her eloquent response as she stared up at his larger form, eyes wide and confused.

He merely bowed his head offering a small apology as he rose to kneel. He turned away and seemed to be awaiting something, tense and rigid.

"What...are you doing?" Aria was beyond confused now.

"I have cause my mistress harm, I am awaiting my punishment."

The stoney response did nothing to settle the rock sitting lodged in her throat. It was in that moment she realized just how royally she screwed up. He was Danarius personal bodyguard and slave and she had effectively won him like a trophy for her petty grievances.

He was a living being what was she thinking? Now he was her responsibility and he felt it completely natural to sleep at the foot of her bed as if he were a dog. He was discussing physical abuse as if it were the weather.

Aria felt her eyes burn and her mind bled with shame. So she did the only thing she could think of. She picked herself off the floor and bolted out of the room in a flurry of blankets and bed clothes.

**~Break~**

"You really bolted and left him there in your room?" Yirel chuckled as she chopped up some fruit for breakfast.

Aria was cooking herself some porridge, not enjoying allowing anyone else to cook her meals for her.

"It's not my fault, I was surprised to say the least. I expected you to give him his own room!"

"In my defence I tried and he declined. Stating that your vulnerable position would not look good on him if he abandoned his post. He's very serious that one, and beyond conditioned." Yirel spoke the last part softly, her voice wavering in unbidden sadness.

"I didn't think it through..." Aria whispered out finally admitting it to another person.

"No, you didn't. Now he is yours to take care of, so take care of it already." despite being 10 years older than the 17 year old girl, she was centuries older in wisdom and experience.

"I know..." Aria glumly pouted as she poked at her now overdone porridge. "Drat."

**~Break~**

The weight of her situation lay heavily on her mind. Never before had she been so responsible for another being. The thought of having to be his master to keep him calm and safe made her feel ill.

Oh how deep they were both in. She wasn't used to being this close to someone before, after her family had fallen apart she had completely closed off. Never wanting to feel that heartache again.

None of the slaves here were ever this bad. Most accepted the kindness when offered, even if they had remained shy or timid for some time afterwards.

Shit, did this mean she'd have to take him with her everywhere? Could Danarius still order him to kill her? Would he want too? What about her research?

Just how dangerous was the lyrium that lined his entire body? Or she assumed his entire body, she had only seen as much as a tunic and trousers would show. Why was she thinking about that anyways?

Fuck she wasn't used to anyone being in her bed chambers, much less a man.

She stalked back to her bedchamber deciding to stop being such a chicken and face the music. She still had to get dressed for the day and show Fenris to the baths, and then kitchen.

She entered the room without knocking, not wanting to give up that particular decorum. This was her bedchamber and she could enter it as she saw fit, he was technically the intruder here.

Fenris was seated against the wall, head still bent, and undressed where she had left him. She strode over towards him and took a deep breath. She wasn't sure there was anything she could say that would make this ok.

"Ok, alright. Thank you for ensuring my safety while I slept. I would prefer it if you'd collect your armor and follow me to the baths. Then you'll have breakfast before practice starts. I assume you do train that big sword of yours?" she raised a dark eyebrow in inquiry, but mostly jest.

If Fenris was shocked he didn't show it. He quietly collecting his armor and strode over to her, face blank. Aria took another sigh pinching the pad of her thumb, before she whisked out of the room hoping she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

It was only a matter of minutes before they reached the baths. Aria gestured towards the door and Fenris walked in without hesitating. Letting out the breath she was holding, she leaned against the wall and rubbed her brow hoping to work out her headache.

This was not going well already.

**~Break~**

Fenris wasn't used to being able to bathe without command. The one thing he had always been provided with was a bathe and perfumes, something he had grown to hate. Even the simplest pleasures Danarius would taint, as a reminder that nothing was ever given free.

His cleanliness was ensured if only for the self serving reasons Danarius always had. No doubt his mistress would be the same. It was no secret many Magister's were drawn to his exotic beauty and lyrium infused tattoos.

He bathed quickly, deriving no joy from the action, before snapping his armor pieces into place and exiting the room. Fenris was, however, startled by his Mistress casually standing by the door, arms crossed.

"I apologise for keeping you waiting." He bowed, mistaking her furrowed brow as thinly veiled anger.

"I, what? No it's fine..." she sighed as she turned away, pinching her brow once more. Fenris followed after obediently, shifting the sword on his back until it was comfortable.

"I'll have Yirel serve you some breakfast, let her know what you'd like." Aria clipply explained as she opened the doors into the kitchens. Her servants still ate in the kitchens, no one really used the dining room anymore. Aria never entertained guests, and strictly cooked all her own meals, eating them in solitude.

"Yirel!" Aria shouted over the bustling kitchens as various elves were busy preparing themselves for the day.

"Yes Mistress Hawke?" She bowed, her longer brown hair tied tightly in a knot atop her head.

"Please ensure Fenris is sufficiently fed, then send him to the training grounds. I want to see his skills first hand." Aria instructed as she pointed towards the servants table for Fenris to sit.

Fenris almost looked as if he wanted to protest, but he merely turned around in his seat, hands in his lap.

"As you wish Mistress Hawke." Yirel bowed and Aria bolted from the room quick as lightning.

It seemed as if his new mistress was less than pleased with him already.

**~Break~**

Dressed properly now in a pair of dark leather leggings and a white peasant blouse with intricate silver threadwork on the collar and cuffs, Aria felt a touch more comfortable than she did wearing her robes.

When inside her estate she wore what was comfortable and practical. Outside of her estate she wore what was expected of her, obnoxiously so. She made an effort to play the game well, flourishing her riches and status like everyone else.

But she was a girl out of time, and pants were always her prefered choice.

She donned dark leather boots as well that reached mid-calf and had a slight heel. Her staff was strapped to her side still, in a newer holster she had made of leather earlier that year.

She approached one of the few humans on her estate, the head of her guard. His name was Arterio, but she just called him Artie.

"Her Artie!" She greeted as she came to stand beside him as he watched over the other guard's practice.

"Hello Mistress Hawke." He bowed his head in greeting.

"I have a new personal bodyguard who I want you to spar with today, I want to see what his skill level is, as well as find out exactly what he can do." that was basically code for, we don't trust him yet he came from the devil himself so god knows what might occur.

"Is it the personal bodyguard you won from Danarius?"

"His name is Fenris, but yes it is." Admitting it outloud left an odd taste in her mouth and she scowled.

"Let's just prepare everyone for our newest addition shall we?"

**~Break~**

Fenris wasn't sure what to make of his new mistress. She refused to discipline him, and actually escorted him everywhere like he was some sort of lost puppy. It infuriated him to no end. Just what was she playing at?

She did not even touch him, save for her falling onto him this morning. Truth be told he had almost assumed she was just going to use him the same way Danarius did when he was startled awake by her body covering his.

But then his ears registered her shriek and he knew then that she had not known he was there. A foolish oversight, he had treated her as if she were Danarius and had forgotten himself. He never should have slept that night, she hadn't given him permission.

However, after she bolted out as if he was the one who was going to burn her, she returned not long afterwards dressed like a commoner and ordering him around, the earlier happenstance forgotten.

He expected to be beaten, for her to twist the lyrium in his skin until he felt his insides tearing apart. He expected the whip, but nothing came. She merely showed him where the baths were and then the kitchen.

As he ate his breakfast of fruit and oatmeal, he couldn't help his stunned staring as every other slave smiled brightly and went back for seconds of various ripened pieces of fruit. Yirel, the elf she had rescued years ago, happily handed him a bowl of now cold oatmeal and offered him some juice.

What game were they playing at?

Once he had finished he left silently, following his instructions to a T. Yirel quickly pointed out directions over her shoulder as she noticed his silent departure. He was thankful for her help, but her attentiveness reminded him that he was a stranger here.

When he entered the training grounds, he found his new mistress sparring with a couple of the elven warriors, using only her staff. She was easily outmatched, it was clear she was only just learning, but her slaves refused to provide more than a slight challenge. He stood just on the outskirts, his arms crossed as he awaited further orders.

"Ah Fenris, you've arrived!" She greeted, her face flushed and a smile wide on her face. She looked a lot calmer and less out of place than she was inside.

**~Break~**

Aria quickly gave the instruction that this session was finished, allowing the two guards she was sparing with to go take a bath and return to their posts for the day. The sun was hot and Aria had long ago gotten used to Tervinter's habit of bathing multiple times a day. One needs it when it gets as hot and sticky as it did.

Global warming did one hell of a number on this place.

So she allowed her servants and guard the same privilege. One servant becoming bedridden from heatstroke was enough of a lesson for her.

"I'd like you to fight the captain of my guard Arterio, he also uses a greatsword such as yourself. I want to get a good grasp of your abilities so he will not being going lightly." Pulling out a towel she pressed it against her sweaty face, before one of her servants handed her a glass of water.

"Thanks." Taking a deep sip she relished the cold feel and sighed.

Artie entered the ring, along with Fenris and pulled his sword out at the ready. The signal was given and Fenris missed no beat advancing. He swung his impossibly large greatsword with ease, opting for a horizontal slash for area spread. It was a solid maneuver, maintaining distance with a non-mage opponent was almost mandatory for a mage. He was trained well for one, after all he was trained for Danarius. She expected nothing less.

Artie quickly dodge, rotating his slightly smaller blade as he rounded Fenris, moving quicker than the elf's larger greater sword would allow. For a moment Aria was worried this fight was going to end rather quickly, but Fenris surprised her as he dodged quickly, blocking Artie's blade with his armored arm. He had moved fast, impossibly fast to close that distance.

Artie twisted his arm catching Fenris' gauntlet with ease, moving to turn him around and disarm him. However, Fenris has other ideas. He twisted his arm around at the last second and plunged it into Artie's chest.

The tattoos were glowing angrily at this and Fenris faltered, stalling his movements, his hand still sitting inside Artie's chest.

It took another moment to realize that Aria had screamed out for him to stop, wide eyed like a doe, her composure fully lost. She rushed towards Fenris and placed a hand on his shoulder whispering for him to remove his hand and step away.

Fenris' eyes flickered towards his new mistress in confusion. Did she not want to see his abilities? Ensure he was a worthwhile slave to win? Her face was set in a pursed line and she gave no emotion away, her eyes dancing dangerously. He could feel the magic buzzing beneath her fingertips and he shivered. Pulling his hand out he stepped back, his head still bowed.

"I apologise mistress." He bowed low, before he placed his greatsword on his back and removed himself to stand at her back, awaiting her next instructions.

"Jesus...I just...what was that?" She asked, her hand again fluttering through her dark hair.

"My previous master had these lyrium tattoos branded on my body so I would be able to phase through people, such as to rip out their hearts...it was...a preference of his he had. I did not mean to presume." he had shied away again causing Aria to let out an irritated sigh.

"Someone get Artie to the healers, I need to have a talk with my new bodyguard I think." She was pinching the brow of her nose as she motioned for Fenris to follow her. She lead him out of the training grounds and into the halls of the manor once again. She lead him through another set of halls until they came to what looked to be a private courtyard.

"This area is private for me, and I suppose now you...I do most of my training here, however you may use the training grounds." She turned to him as the doors to the courtyard closed and he stopped, his heart in his throat.

"Yes mistress." She held up a hand stopping him and looked to be perturbed.

"Please just...when we are here call me Hawke if you want to be formal, mistress has never sat right with me..." she trailed off uncertainly. "However, that isn't why I brought you here. May I inspect your markings?"

"You do not need to ask mistress...Hawke." He tried the word out timidly, but refused to drop the mistress part.

"Ok, well, it's a step...but yes I do. It's your body, may I inspect them? It won't hurt." Fenris stared at her unsure. Why was she asking? He had no rights anyhow. However, he had to respond so he did the only thing he knew to do. Follow instructions. Unclasping his gauntlet, he removed it slowly before extending his arm out towards her.

Aria gingerly took it, noticing instantly the hum of the lyrium as it prickled against her magic. Slowly she traced the lyrium tattoos with care, not missing his soft flinches at her ministrations.

"He had this branded into you didn't he..." she didn't need the confirmation, it was already fairly obvious at this point. It must have been torture.

"Danarius did, and now it is yours." he sounded so far away, like he wasn't really here at all.

"You are not some weapon to be used as I see fit." She frowned, removing her hands from his skin. He let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding, and she stepped away.

"Just...I need to do my morning workout, please wait for me outside the doors. When sparring in the future never use your lyrium brands on anyone. That is all." She was suddenly cold and familiar to Fenris and he merely nodded his head and left without a sound.

Every Magister was basically the same.

**~Break~**

After the whole sparring fisco, Aria had done her regular morning routine to stay fit. She was hardly a hand to hand fighter, but she was still physically trained due to her old job. A habit she wasn't comfortable with losing. She did, after all, want to go home eventually.

Leaving her private courtyard, she motioned for Fenris to follow. He did so perfectly obedient and she felt herself mildly impressed at how agreeable he was. Quickly, she shoved that thought aside feeling sick with herself. He was a person, a person who didn't deserve this.

She moved towards her library, pulling her key out and unlocking the door before striding in. She knew Fenris would follow, but until she knew he could be trusted and they had to lay out some ground rules, she let him continue the only role he knew.

Being a slave.

She closed the door and locked it, flipping the latch closed, before striding towards her ornate worktable in the middle of the room. The walls were lined with shelves filly with books, various magical relics, and stray papers from various theories she had been playing with. Sitting down she motioned for Fenris to sit across from her. The walls were high, and she found herself hating the need to constantly get up from her work to procure a book high up on the shelves requiring the ladder. How she hated using that ladder, oh how she hated heights.

"We will spend most of our days like this, working out in the morning after breakfast, and then accompanying me while I work in the library. Mostly here I will only need you to locate specific books I need." She twisted a quill in her mouth as she caught the panicked look that flitted across his face.

"What's wrong?" She inquired feeling another headache coming on. What she wouldn't give to be a total asshole and not give a shit.

"I...that is...Danarius never...taught me to read, it was not...necessary for what he required of me." His cheeks tinged a light pink and I sighed again.

"Ok well, new plan, we shall remedy that while I work. Until then I will just use my magic..." She trailed off disliking using her magic in excess in places she was attempting to recreate the same ritual that got her here in the first place. Residual magic could ruin even the most perfectly executed spell.

Fenris looked as if he wanted to protest or say something, but he quickly tilted his eyes downwards and muttered a small 'Yes mistress Hawke.'

"It is...fine, I do not require of you the things Danarius did, however having you able to read would greatly help me, that is if you want to learn." She left it open ended as he stared at her confused now, eyes devoid of anything save his anxiety. Whatever she had done or said, had made him feel worried.

"I...must admit I have never had a bodyguard or an actual slave before coming here, so do not overthink my words or actions to find hidden intentions, there are none. I do not feel right ordering you to learn to read, it is a lot of work and would be a waste if you are not invested. Simple as that." She gave him an out, no pity, and no expectations.

"I would not mind knowing to read." He spoke simply, his arms sitting in his lap as he avoided her gaze.

"Alright, then let us find you some paper and quill, we shall start with the alphabet." her previous work left forgotten as she moved to procure the necessary tools for their lesson.

**~Break~**

Their lesson extended all morning and afternoon, only when Yirel appeared to advise them lunch was ready, did they actually stop their work.

They entered the kitchens together, much to Fenris' confusion. She waved him off allowing Yirel to direct the young elf's attention towards eating his lunch. Aria moved past everyone with a sigh as her stomach growled. She had taken too long and now she was starved for her lunch. She would have to wait until her staff had eaten before moving to cook her own lunch.

However, a plate appeared in her hands as Yirel winked, "One day eating food made by someone else will be fine, I made this myself." then she was gone fussing over Fenris as his ears flushed slightly pink.

True to her words, the plate Yirel had handed her was not the same food everyone else was eating, and instead was a simple plate of meat, cheese, and various fruits. It was a simple lunch, but the kind she had already eaten since she had started her magus training back home. It was quick, easy, and the best kind of lunch to travel with. In her opinion anyways.

Sitting down across from Fenris at the table she started to poke at her food, reading the magical tome she had brought with her. Fenris took a moment to give her a perplexed look, before returning to his own lunch mechanically.

**~Break~**

After Aria had left, Fenris had only half finished his own lunch which had irritated his new mistress it seems. She had given him a look, then quickly spoke to Yirel to ensure he finished his plate and met her in her bedchambers afterwards.

"Please ensure Fenris finished his entire lunch, then send him to my bedchambers." She had quickly requested as she scooped up her book and whisked out of the room in a flurry of robes. She had taken only a moment to give Fenris a pointed look that suggested he not test her.

Fenris felt his stomach tighten and he didn't want to finish his lunch anymore. He knew that if he ate anymore he would surely be sick later.

"Calm down she isn't going to eat you up you know," Yirel politely commented as she placed a cup of tea beside him, "Hurry now, drink up. It will help settle your nerves."

Fenris wanted to get mad at her, wave her off, but he found himself unable. Yirel was the slave he witness his new mistress save all those years ago. She seemed happier, chipper, and healthy. She even seemed to have been given power over the household, her word being able to sway their mistress without effort.

He had wanted to ask her to leave him alone, but instead he blurted out this.

"Why did she not eat in the dining hall?" He asked before he could stop himself. Yirel stifled a small chuckle with her hand, and gave him an amused glance.

"She never does, finds it lonely at best. Besides she prefers to cook all her own meals and eat them before the staff is scheduled for their meals, she's always been like that. Not that I blame her, many other magisters would be pleased if she were to die." She looked anxious at the thought and all it did was serve to further irritate Fenris.

His new mistress had managed to trick even her slaves into a false sense of security. They probably thank her for ripping their life force from their bodies as she fed from their power. Just like every other magister, just like Danarius.

He wasn't stupid, he recognized some of the symbols in the tomes she was working through, they were books about blood magic. The very same books he had seen Danarius read plenty of times...

He felt white hot rage and shame spike through his stomach and he pushed his plate away. He refused to finish the meal his new mistress forced on him. He would see to her needs and hopefully she would leave him alone for awhile.

Standing he left the kitchens ignoring Yirel's protests to wait.

**~Break~**

Aria figured she had some time to kill, with Fenris only having finishing half his lunch. Knowing Yirel she would fatten him up the best she could, which meant she had time. She only hoped he would listen and eat enough, as Yirel had advised her he hardly ate enough for breakfast.

She quickly took a hot bath to clean her aching muscles, before exiting her bathing chambers attached to her room. She didn't bother with a robe, enjoying the cool breeze that came through her window against her damp skin.

She moved through her room taking stock of her mage robes, deciding what was best for today's weather. She also wasn't sure if she wanted to continue teaching Fenris, work on her own work, or take the rest of the day off and read a book, a good old fiction book.

She didn't notice or hear the doors open as Fenris moved silently behind her. He found her already naked and his stomach hit the floor. She was just like Danarius...she had wasted no time at all.

Moving silently he slowly removed his armor, taking care to place it at the foot of her bed where he slept, before wrapping his arms around her, kissing her neck silently. He heard her intake of breath as she arched into his hands, his hands molding to her pert breasts, the nipples brushing hard against the palms of his hand. He rolled his hand as he kissed up the expanse of her neck, until he reached her ear.

It was finally then that Aria's mind snapped into place. Fenris found himself flung away from her, smashing painfully against the wall as everything in the room exploded from her force magic. Ripping apart the room like a tornado.

He could hear her even breaths as she stared at him, her hair hung around her wide animalistic eyes. She locked eyes with his fearful ones and stepped back shaking lightly.

"Get. The fuck. Out!" She all but growled. Fenris didn't need to be asked twice, his lyrium burning painfully at his skin as a reminder. He fled the room, sans his armor, and ran down the halls until he could run no more.

Aria stood there frightened and angry, before she sat on her bed with a groan. She shouldn't have done that. He didn't know, he didn't understand, he was just doing as he was taught.

She felt her stomach churn at the realization of what he thought she expected of him. Which meant that Danarius had expected this of him. That realization made her insides burn with fury and she felt herself staking a claim to Fenris.

'That asshole will never get him back, mark my fucking words...'

**~End of Chapter 2~**


	3. In Too Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke and Fenris go to the market and come to some realizations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all I want to say I am so sorry for how late I am, and for anyone reading y other stories, chapters should follow shortly throughout today.
> 
> The only story that may not is Once More With Feeling. Sorry guys! It's just not long enough or fully edited yet. 
> 
> Anyways as for this story, I have the next chapter started and hopefully can get a bit written this month.
> 
> Next of all I want to say that a lot of my big break from posting is due to my father passing away on July 1st, 2017. I am ok, we are all ok. I did not take a total break from writing, I did write here and there, but it was a bit harder to do. 
> 
> I also started a new job which is in the career path I went to university for, so it was a big deal and change. My anxiety was all over the place, but in the end I passed my probation with flying colours and am hired on full-time. I am super happy, but it means I can no longer write during the day as I work. 
> 
> But that's fine, I am started to get into a new writing routine in the evenings and weekends :) 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, it felt odd in places for me, but necessary. 
> 
> There are trigger warnings:
> 
> Insinuation of rape  
> non-consensual touch  
> ptsd  
> flashbacks  
> strong language
> 
> If I miss any warnings, please do let me know and I will update accordingly, even if you think it's small I promise it's not, let me know.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the support!

**~Start of Chapter 3~**

The whole thing was amusing after the embarrassment wore off. She hadn’t realized the implications she had given him. Conditioned as he was, finding her nude and waiting in her chambers was more than enough to cross anyones wires.

Foolish.

She had donned sky blue robes by the time Yirel had found her, a frown on her face, hands at her hips.

“I know I know...” Aria hoped that would stop the rant about to come her way.

“Don’t you ‘I know’ me! He’s a slave, from one of the most horrible magisters out there! You have to be careful with your temper and your words, he will take every single one at face value.” She puffed her cheeks out as she huffed. She was flushed with anger and worry, very matronly of the young girl.

“I know...where is he?” Aria asked finally looking up, trying to keep her shame from causing her to snap at Yirel.

“He is in the kitchens helping peel potatoes. He is horrified of what you are going to do with him you know, keeps muttering that it’s only a matter of time till you hand him back now.” She turned on her heels and walked away expecting Aria to follow.

And she would.

Because Yirel at this point was more than her slave/servant/steward, she had become like family, a best friend and maternal figure. She certainly chastised her as such despite being younger.

She assumed it was due to her circumstances of having to grow up too fast. With clammy hands and an erratically beating heart, Aria stood with as much decorum as she did, and strode out of her bedchambers intent on righting a wrong.

Things couldn’t continue like this, not in the state they were going.

Walking down her now familiar halls, she was struck with a thought she hadn’t had in awhile. She was actually finding her days interesting and involved. Her mind wandered back to her drunken haze induced vision of Fenris all those years ago. The moment she had first actually seen him. She didn’t remember much, just his eyes and strange glowing marks.

Now, however, outside of the clubs and their lighting the marks shimmer like liquid mercury. The vision was not of anything really. She had the sight, however weak it was. She was never labeled as a seer, knowing her gift was much too weak to be classified as such. However, she should have known what it signified; her potential future.

Because the look he had given her in the club was the very same look he had given her when she had first seen him in the senate. She had a vision of a moment in her very near future, a vision impossible to determine the actual meaning. What a pointless _‘gift’_.

She approached the doors to the kitchens with apprehension. Taking a breath she walked in only to be tapped on the forehead with a wooden spoon.

“Oww!” She hissed, holding her hand to the small red mark on her forehead. Before her stood Yirel with a scowl. She gave a warning look towards Aria before nodding towards Fenris and leaving the kitchens, the cooks inside leaving with her. Aria grumbled to herself about insubordination as she rubbed the aching mark for a moment longer.

Fenris had already noticed her and had stopped his cutting. He was standing facing towards where she was standing, his head bowed, eyes averted anywhere except her form. It irritated her how he just dropped everything at her presence.

“Fenris,” She spoke firmly as she took a moment to sit down at the table located to the right of her. His green eyes lifted to hers, and she motioned for him to sit. Mechanically he moved and sat down, his gaze still stoney on the tables surface. “This conversation would go a lot easier if you looked at me.”

Fenris lifted his eyes obediently to hers, catching her sapphire orbs for the briefest of moments, till they flickered and settled on her nose.

“About what happened, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have used my magic on you like that. I am an adult mage and should have had a lot more control. You didn’t know any better and I should have expected Danarius would expect...those things of you. However, I do not. You frightened me to be honest, these kinds of...activities are not common where I came from. I truly did mean for you to meet me there so we could continue the day’s agenda.” She finished with her hands clasped on the table in front of them. Fenris was giving her a beyond startled look, rage flitting across his orbs occasionally as his mouth twisted with words unspoken.

“You can speak your mind you know.” she sighed, her hand once again moving to her forehead and pressing at the ache settling between her eyes.

“Why do you do that?” Fenris spoke, his voice startling her for a moment. It wasn’t the quite what he had wanted to say, she knew that much, but he had still asked it all the same. She placed her hand back down onto the table with a sigh.

“Do what?” Aria blurted out, staring at him with confused eyes. She didn’t have time to deconstruct a victim of abuse and get him to trust her, she didn’t have time for him, for this. But she had made her bed, it was time to lay in it.

“Every time I displease you, you pinch at your nose and forehead.” At that admission Aria noticed her hand pressing against her worry lines once again and quickly pulled her hand away, hiding it in the fold of her robes.

“No, I, it’s not because you displease me I am just...a little lost and stressed out.” She sighed instead as she let out a groan and struggled to keep her hand down, but ultimately raised it and rubbed her forehead more

“I’m having trouble believing I haven’t upset you, considering almost every time I speak you react like that.” he dryly spoke.

“Oh now you have cheek!” Aria scoffed, staring at him with a tilted grin and shook her head. His face looked stunned and she realized it was a mistake to comment on his brashness. He recoiled instantly, settling back into his perfect slave role.

“Cheek is good, cheek is fine, you don’t have enough of it is the problem.” She spat out as she stood with an annoyed huff. Fenris followed the movement with his eyes as she faced him, hands on her wide hips.

“I did not mean to offend you mistress, I only wish to please you.” At this emotionless admission Aria just about tugged her hair from their roots.

“You don’t...I do not wish for you to please me...quite like that,” she gave him a very pointed look before she moved towards the door. She halted momentarily before she opened it however, “For the rest of the day you may stay here and help Yirel if you wish, after dinner the evening is yours. You may join me to practice reading more, that is when I usually do my own reading. Then you will have your own room adjacent to mine, you will sleep there and not the floor. Is that understood?” She waited for his head to slowly bob and then she left in a flurry of robes.

Fenris, for all his experiences as a slave, was at a total loss. He had no idea what she wanted or what was going to happen to him. She constantly tempted him with freedoms and faux kindness, it had to be a trick.

Except...she hadn’t wanted him when he came to her. She was startled even, he had startled her because she had not expected him to be there, nor had she touch him.

That was what confused him the most.

**~Break~**

The biggest things Aria had missed were the internet and fast food. She missed what had become basic necessities for herself. After her phone had died she found herself missing her music, a problem that did little to curb the habit of her singing to herself as she worked.

She was back in her library humming a popular pop song as she was organizing the stray papers that had ended up all over the room from her less than stellar organizational habits. Placing a few magical tomes back onto her shelves, she heard the door open and shut in a prim manner. She turned and saw the downcast gaze of her newest slave.

“Ahh Fenris, so you’ve decided to join me. Come, sit, we shall continue practicing letters.” she waved him over and placed a stack of lined paper and a quill on the table before her. Clearing her throat she motioned for him to sit, which he did obediently.

“What shall I start on?” He asked mechanically as he picked up the quill and clumsily held it. With a small frown Aria moved her hands and righted his fingers upon the quill. His skin was startling warm and to his credit he didn’t flinch once.

“Continue where you left off. Afterwards I have notes for you. You will practice the alphabet a little while longer, then we will practice some children's tales.” Aria slipped easily into her teacher role, enjoying the few hours she had to tutor him. It seemed he enjoyed the lessons as he continued to search her out as time went on.

**~Break~**

It had been a couple weeks and Fenris had fallen into his own routine. The mornings were spent training with her guard, the afternoons were for learning to read/helping Aria with her chores and errands, and then the evening he helped the kitchen staff as one of the cooks was nearing the end of her pregnancy and was on half days. It seemed to suit him just fine, and Aria had started catching him talking to other servants freely, almost as if he were enjoying himself.

Today, however, she needed him to accompany her into the marketplace so she could pick up a new wand from a local artisan wandmaker. It was special order, something she had been holding off as her original wand was worse for wear and it was time to get a new one.

Now Aria wasn’t a huge wand user, but the smaller length allowed her to channel her magic on the fly. She also had to have her staff maintained, it was requiring a new polish and cleaning. If a mage didn’t clean the magical residue off their tools, it could cause a spell somewhere down the road to go awry.

Or explode, as was common with younger mages.

Dressed in marigold robes, embroidered with burnt orange lilies, she swept into the training field and strode towards the shirtless Fenris as he spared with another equally unclothed soldier. She noticed first, the perspiration that drifted along his lean abdomen, before disappearing into the soft linen of his britches. Absent mindedly she licked her lips, wetting her larger bottom one momentarily, her eyes following the small droplet as it gravitated towards the apex of his hips. For a moment she was stunned at her thoughts, and she shook her head. It was no secret she found him appealing to the eyes, and it had been many years since she had the touch of intimacy, it was only natural she noticed him. He did spend almost all his time by her side. As she drew closer her Guard Captain set off his whistle signifying a break.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your morning training boys, but I need Fenris to accompany me into the marketplace.” The words were barely out of her mouth when Fenris bowed and headed past her towards the manor so he could prepare for her task. She watched him from the corner of her eye as he accepted a towel from one of the other men, wiping his forehead and damp hair as he retreated towards the manner.

“Quiet boy, but he seems happier.” Artie spoke as he dismissed the other soldier with a nod. Aria turned to give her full attention to the man then, not wanting to be caught staring.

“It seems so, but I am still worried. Danarius has done little against me for this slight, you don’t think Fenris is still loyal do you?” Aria inquired, her tone hushed as her brow knitted together. Fenris was still reserved towards her and cold. It worried her how he seemed to still uphold pretenses around her, pretenses Danarius had instilled.

“I’m not sure, but if he is, it is due to no fault of his own.” Artie spoke through hurried hushed words.

“What do you mean?” Aria asked, turning to face him fully.

“Among magisters, slaves such as he are worth a pretty penny. Because of this, Magisters often use blood magic to ensure their ‘property’ always finds their way home.” Artie’s tone was grim as he explained, and it caused a pit of worry to settle into her stomach.

“What kind of blood magic?” She asked, her tongue like lead.

“I don’t know, I’m not a mage nor a magester. The only one who could tell you is the boy himself.” Artie explained as he turned to finish this morning's training exercises.

Aria turned back once again to look at her home, somewhere amongst the windows and rooms was Fenris, and she needed to get him to trust her enough so she could find out if Danarius was still a threat through him.

**~Break~**

Fenris was waiting for her at her carriage, standing to the side of it fully dressed in his armor, sword and all. He also had his collar on and it made Aria feel sick. It couldn’t be helped, they had to keep up pretenses. She stopped a mere foot away from him, and almost made a motion towards the collar but stopped herself. Veering left she moved towards the carriage instead, trying to erase the image of him standing there. She couldn’t help but miss him in his leather britches and loose linen shirt he wore around the estate.

Now he just looked like a caged panther, coiled and ready to strike.

He regarded her with a cool look, his head tilted down as he waited for her to enter the carriage, his eyes following every movement after she had made a motion towards his leather collar just a moment prior. Her steward opened the door for her with a bow, and with a grace not commonly known to Aria Hawke, she entered and sat down.

Slowly the carriage started to move and she saw Fenris walking in the baking heat beside her and felt her belly warm in irritation. Pretenses be damned.

“Stop,” She ordered as the carriage came to a halt. Quickly, she opened the door and motioned towards Fenris. “Get in, this will go a lot faster.” She turned away closing any attempt at argument as the white haired elf entered the carriage and sat across from her.

He was frowning, but he looked like he was more comfortable, which was the point. Feeling like she had finally won something, a smile graced her face as she looked out the window watching the trees go by.

**~Break~**

The sun was bearing down on them hot today, uncomfortably so. They only had the smallest reprieve when they had entered the wandmakers store after dropping off her staff to be serviced. With time to kill they were meandering through the marketplace, Fenris was carrying her bag despite her putting up a spirited debate.

But he was right, that was in part what he was there for. She had left her other servant at the carriage, wanting him to feed and water the horses appropriately before having his own packed lunch. Her staff’s maintenance was currently being delayed due to a high volume of requests.

So here they were shopping, for lack of anything better to do. Aria hadn’t purchased anything yet, minus a couple books, but still Fenris refused to allow her to carry them on her own.

“I don’t know why you are making such a fuss, I can carry my own books.” She snorted, her arms crossed in faux annoyance. Something he had learned about her over the weeks he had been in her possession.

“It is my job, what do you think everyone would think if you were carrying your bags, while I was unburdened?” He had a point, he usually did. He had rolled his eyes lightly at her, and snorted at her complaints. It was as adorable as it was momentous.

“Look at you, telling me off. You might make it in the real world yet!” She joked as his ears flushed, his eyes staring towards her toes now. With a small chortle, she tapped his shoulder with a grin and kept walking.

It seemed as if it was enough, and Fenris followed, his gaze firmly held high again.

“Ok...so if you could buy anything in the world, what would you buy?” She asked, tapping her chin in thought as she took in the bustling crowd. Aria knew what she once would have spent the money on. Perhaps a new TV, a condo, maybe even a pet Mabari. Sadly, now that she had money, she was without all the things she wanted to buy.

“A slave has no use for money.” He spoke evenly, attempting to keep the bitter tilt from edging through.

“Humor me, please Fenris?” For a moment Hawke thought she might have pushed him too far, but then his eyes started to look through the stalls with apprehension, and then, with a purpose.

“I would buy myself a good lunch and some new clothes. I might even, if I had the chance, buy some basic soaps and a soft downy pillow.” His voice was soft, she was almost afraid it might break.

“None of those are fun,” Aria sighed, but she knew that her question would never hold the same weight as it would for someone who was not born free. So she tapped her chin as she noticed his wilting demeanour. “Come now Fenris, I was only poking fun. Where I am from, we often dream about frivolities not basic necessities. But you have brought up a fair point, these are things you do not have but you want. Shall we rectify that?” She grinned as his face shot up to hers. This time, he didn’t even stop his curious gaze from locking with hers.

“Mistress Hawke, I can’t acc-”

“Oh hush, you can and will. Please, it will give me something to do. Allow me to vicariously live through you and let's go shopping. Whatever you want, you can get. You wanted lunch yes? You can pick the place and we shall order take out.”

“Take out?” Fenris asked in confusion.

“Ahh, sorry that's a colloquialism of where I am from, we will order the food but not eat it in the restaurant. I am assuming that would make you uncomfortable?” She awaited his nod before she continued. “Good, lead the way. You wanted soaps? We are near the soap shop, I am in need of something new anyways.”

Fenris followed her as she entered the colourfully decorated arched doorway of the soap shop. The inside smelled divine, as the walls and tables were covered with perfume oils, bath oils, soaps, lotions, etc. Fenris seemed unable to figure out what to make of the place and Aria stifled a laugh.

“Ahh Serah! Welcome, welcome.” She was instantly greeted by a portly woman with kind eyes.

“Do you make everything in house?” Aria asked as she noticed Fenris eye the soap on the far wall.

“We do indeed Serah! Or should I say Magister.” She bowed as she took in the regal appearance of Hawke.

“Thank you, I would appreciate privacy as I shop. I have coin to provide for taking up your time?” Aria held out a handful of coin which brightened the look on the woman's face.

“I would be happy to Serah, shall I have your slave wait outside?” she nervously looked towards Fenris who was now debating with himself if he could touch the soap, his hand stretched out as if he were going to pick one up. Whatever internal battle he was having, Aria knew this woman wasn’t going to help.

“He is my bodyguard miss, I’d appreciate if you ignore him as an extension of myself. He is very versed with my wants and wishes, please leave us.” she deposited a few extra coins and the woman closed and latched the doors, before moving towards the back room.

“Let me know if you require assistance.” She then bowed and left them in peace.

“Thank you...” Fenris spoke silently as Aria finally turned to regard him.

“You are very welcome Fenris.” She softly spoke as she moved to stand near him. She debated her usually ‘no need to thank me’ knowing a thank you from Fenris was rare indeed.

“You did not need to ensure my comfort and privacy.” He started again, unsure of himself.

“Course I did, it’s in both our best interests she doesn’t see me pampering you. Besides, it fits with the whole mysterious magister persona I have. Now, let’s pick up something nice. Do you like vanilla? Perhaps honey?” She grinned as she held out two bars of soap for him to smell.

“I do not know, I just know I dislike the smell of jasmine...” He trailed off as he picked up a bar of soap hesitantly and took a sniff.

“Too sweet.” He spoke as he handed the honey one back to Aria.

“Hmm, the vanilla one might be a bit much. There is a nice spiced soap, I think it had cinnamon? You might also like the mint and rosemary. Oh but the apricot and basil soap is one of my-” Aria stopped sniffing the soaps as she realized she had grown too comfortable around Fenris and had let herself fall into her usual persona.

“Oh please go on, I am waiting with baited breath to hear about this apricot and basil soap.” Fenris spoke, his tone dry, but a small smile was on his face as he found her endearing in that moment.

“Oh shut up! Let me enjoy some of life’s pleasures. I am only human after all.” She rolled her eyes as she put the soap down in a small huff, her cheeks flushed red. After a moment she let out an aggravated sigh and picked up the bars of soap, depositing them onto the counter so she could purchase them. “Not a word.” She demanded as Fenris actually laughed.

“Whatever my Mistress says.” He spoke, the joke echoing off the walls stunning Aria. Turning she gave a derisive snort and a large smile.

“You’d do well to remember that, now purchase way too much of this store so we don’t have to come back and waste coin to ensure privacy.” She gave him a small grin which he returned, and finally he started to inspect the different smells and textures as he learned what he enjoyed in scents.

**~Break~**

Her purse felt slightly lighter, but she had learned a good lesson. It was time she started using her lavish wealth and purchase more luxury items for the servants at home. It seemed to make Fenris glow brightly as if he were an entirely new elf, and she found herself smiling brightly as well, as if he were contagious.

“You said clothing yes? Do you want leather or linen? Sets of both?” Aria inquired as she looked around the market place.

“I do not need more than you have already provided.”

“Fenris, please, indulge me? I want you to have possessions of your own. I want your room to be YOUR ROOM, so let me try and help?” She looked desperate as she gave him a vulnerable look. She wanted him to agree, but she didn’t want to order him. It was a funny feeling, having someone look after him. He wasn’t accustomed to it, but it still brought excitement when she had allowed him free run of the store and funds.

“I...would not mind a set of each.” He spoke evenly as she gave a node and pulled him towards the leatherworker first. In a similar fashion, she ordered the workers out and allowed Fenris the privacy he had never had before.

In the end she had forced six sets of outfits in both linen and leather, before she also bought him his own bedding and pillows. He had a set in his room, but it was hardly his so she indulged him the ability to pick out what he wanted and to keep it as his own.

It had been about two hours of shopping when Aria grabbed his wrist and motioned for him to follow her towards a small street vendor. He had abstained from picking where to eat, requesting she make the decision for them.

“I know it’s not the best food, but I am starved and thirsty, order what you’d like and tonight I will have the kitchens prepare a meal to your choosing instead.” She airily spoke as she moved to order her own food.

“I...I cannot.” Fenris began, feeling insecure as the food vendor gave her his attention. She quickly ordered two sets of food and drink, before moving to stand to the right of the tall.

“Why can you not?” She asked, her eyes questioning but calm.

“I...I have never been allowed to eat anything other than what is provided to me. Even then food is rare, I do not know...what I enjoy, not enough to tell the kitchens my favourites.” His tone was acrid, weighing heavily with implications.

“Do you not have any childhood favourites?”

“None I can remember.” His face was twisted in a scowl and Aria felt guilty. Quickly, she accepted their food, and handed a wrapped meat and veggie wrap for him to have.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” and she meant it too.

Fenris was still scowling, but brightened as he ate the food she had provided him. While it was not going to be one of his favourites, he liked it all the same and asked if he could have it again tonight.

And who was Hawke to decline him that much?

**~Break~**

After finishing their meals, it was time to head back to pick up her staff. She had argued briefly about taking some of the bags they had, but was quickly waved off as Fenris ran most of them back to the carriage to cease her ‘whining’ as he called it.

Whatever it was, he seemed to be growing more brazen and Aria liked it. He had a quick wit, and had no issue with disagreeing with her. Sadly, getting him to vocalize either was an impossibility; until lately.

Approaching the storefront, Aria had Fenris wait outside so he could avoid the lick of magic against his lyrium tattoos.

“Ahh Serah, my favourite customer! One of these days you must let me craft a staff especially for you!” the tall gangly man was using flattery to get her to spend more coin than she intended. It bothered her how fake everyone seemed to be upon noticing her robes.

“Ahh, my good man, you do such an amazing job that I almost believe this staff will last forever!” She flirted in an attempt to cease the conversation inside the busy store.

“I do my best Serah. Please be careful with it this time. I may not be able to repair such damage every time.” He was, of course, referencing the damage from her fight with Danarius.

“I will try my best, have a good afternoon.” She bowed her head in respect as she handed over her coin, before leaving the store

“Oh Fenris, how cute. Does your new master have you thinking you’re a person now?” She heard the biting tone of Hadriana and stiffened. As she looked around she noticed Fenris wasn’t where she had left him. She heard a grunt to her right and she moved towards and alleyway, her staff elongated now.

She was hardly ready for the scene before her. Hadriana had Fenris pressed against the cool wall, her hand gripping his abdomen tightly, brushing just below his waistband, as her other hand held his chin, her nails biting his flesh but drawing no blood.

“I know you missed me, Fenris. I know I’ve missed you.” She purred, her hand pushing below his pants now, a small gasp escaping Fenris’ lips. He turned his head and his eyes locked with Aria’s and she just about lost it.

“I would have figured by now you’d learn not to touch things that aren’t yours.” Aria spoke, her tone full of thinly veiled anger.

“Ahh, Magister Hawke. Enjoying our little Fenris here? I’ll let you in on a little secret, he’s magnificent with his tongue.” She let out a bark of laughter as she removed her hand from his trousers, and stepped away ever so slightly.

“I wouldn’t know, the only use I have for his tongue is talk, something he isn’t horribly adept at. I wonder why?” Aria scoffed, as she strode towards Fenris, pushing to stand between him and Hadriana. Using her hand she shoved the aforementioned mage away with a small growl.

“Oh, please don’t tell me you have feelings for him. A good slave isn’t worth it, no matter how good.” Her eyes narrowed into slivers as she pushed passed Aria with a glare.

“Be careful, he might just slit your throat in your sleep if you aren’t careful.” Hadriana warned, her tone ringing ominous as she disappeared around the corner.

“Are you ok?” She asked, turning towards Fenris as he stared at her collar, avoiding her eyes. “Fenris, I need you to answer me clearly.”

Aria pulled his face towards hers and locked eyes, breathing her question out one more time.

“I am...ok.” He spoke evenly, his long fingers wrapping around her lithe wrists and pulling them from his face. He held her wrists for a moment, as if he were searching for the words, before he brushed past her, letting the appendages go and hang limp at her side.

**~Break~**

Fenris declined sitting in the carriage for the ride home, deciding to walk in the midday heat instead. She watched as the sun pounded down on him and wondered for a moment why he didn’t fight back. He owed Hadriana nothing, Danarius was no longer his master. But she knew that was a naive thought, the chains of slavery were harder and stronger in one's mind than body.

Once they reached the manor he waited, back tight like a spring, and all she could find to utter in her own sorrow was for him to head in and rest before dinner. It was when she realized Yirel was also missing that she knew it was best she stay away from the broody white-haired elf for a bit.

Instead, she decided to head towards the kitchens and have them start on her plan for a lavish dinner.

She couldn’t fix his past, but she could try to give him a better future.

**~Break~**

Fenris was ashamed as he ripped through the halls towards his own rooms. Slamming the door behind himself he tore his armor off, throwing it across the room as a scream of rage tore from his throat. Everywhere his lyrium marks touched, they would burn. The heat from the day, his armor, and Hadriana’s touch had his nerves on fire.

He wanted out of his skin as memories of Danarius cooing into his ear assault his senses. Once he was nude he moved towards the small water basin he had and started to scrub at the places she touched him. Memories of her taste, her scent of jasmine, and her soft long black hair made him sick.

He barely realized the door open and close as the water in the basin started to tinge red, his skin now raw and blistering.

“Fenris!” Someone gasped as the cloth was removed from his fingers as his hands stilled. Slowly, Yirel laced her fingers between his with a sad smile. “I know, it’s hard to wash it all away isn’t it. Please, I’ll draw you a bath, Mistress Hawke has had your bathing supplies sent to the baths already. Come, wear this.” She threaded his arms through a thin blue silk robe, then grasped his hand once more.

Fenris was frozen, he wasn’t sure what to do to be honest. But her touch was calm and motherly, and he found himself hard pressed to resist. So she lead him through the bare halls, and drew him a bath smelling like orange peel and cinnamon. Slowly, Yirel helped him enter the warm water and started to wash his hair, her hands massaging his scalp and he melted.

“I won't ask what happened, but please trust that Mistress Hawke is a good person.” She whispered into his hair as she brushed the pads of her fingers against his brow. “She won't let him have you back, please trust in that at least.” slowly her fingers reached down his neck and moved to remove his collar. His hand shot up and grasped her wrist painfully.

“Don’t.” Fenris spoke, his voice catching on the end in a near sob.

“As you wish.” Yirel spoke, her tone nurturing and patient. She lifted her hand away and continued to clean him, taking care to not rub his raw skin anymore than he had, humming a tune as she worked.

“Why are you helping me?” He finally asked after over twenty minutes of silence.

“Because you are a member of this house now, it’s my job to make sure everyone is ok. I also guiltily wanted to speak to you about Mistress Hawke if that's alright with you?” he could tell by her tone that it was purely his choice, but despite how uncomfortable it made him feel, he couldn’t deny the younger elf her questions. With a nod, he gave her his assent.

“Mistress Hawke isn’t from here. She’s never had slaves before, rarely ever seen any. Please give her some patience as she learns to accommodate you. I promise she means well and will protect you, if you let her.”

“You speak about her as if she isn’t just another magister!” He spat as he ripped his head from her hands.

“I speak of her like that because it’s true. I have lived with her for over three years, and not once has she ever laid a hand on anyone here. She listens to us, our opinions carry weight with her. Please don’t forget that she wasn’t raised the way the rest of them are. She takes great offense to slavery.” Yirel was chastising him now and he felt his shame turn to anger in his belly. Her fingers slowly resumed their washing, now rubbing the nap of his neck soothingly.

“It does not matter, in the end Danarius will come to collect me soon enough.” He hissed as Yirel continued to rub his sore muscles as she bathed him.

“Why do you think that?” She spoke, her fingers stalling for a moment in curiosity.

“I am sure you’ve heard of my great attempt at an escape once...when he had to leave me behind, but when he returned for me, I had little choice but to obey.” His head was downcast now as he spoke, tendrils of waters fallings through the gap between his collar and neck.

“Everyone has a choice Fenris.” Yirel spoke evenly as she continued to wash his back.

“You don’t understand, with Danarius there is never a choice!” He spat out, finally catching Yirel’s attention.

“What do you mean?” she spoke evenly now, taking notice of Fenris’ terse expression.

**~Break~**

Yirel was moving with purpose when she burst into the kitchens startling Hawke, who was leaning against the counter as she spoke to the cooks.

“Mistress Hawke!” Yirel spoke as she grasped her hand and pulled her toward the doorway.

“Whoa, Yirel where’s the fire?” Aria asked, causing a perplexed look to flit across Yirel’s face.

“There is no fire Mistress Hawke.” She blinked owlishly as Aria rolled her eyes.

“Turn of phrase, turn of phrase! Just tell me what you need.” She sighed out as Yirel kept pulling her through the doors.

“It’s Fenris, I think we all need to have a talk.” She spoke with purpose, her eyes locking with Aria’s.

“Lead the way.”

**~Break~**

Aria wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted her. Inside her chambers sat a cleanly bathed Fenris, wearing only a blue silk robe and his collar. In any other moment she would have found the scene sexual, but Yirel’s panicked toned told her otherwise.

“What’s going on?” Aria asked as she turned round on Yirel, her brow raised in question.

“Fenris has brought something to my attention that I think you should know, Fenris?” Yirel gently lead in as Aria turned to focus on him.

His thin face looked up towards her and her heart stopped. He looked so angry and broken, what had happened while she was in the kitchens?

“Danarius has...he has me bound to him.” He spoke, his tone heavy and tumbling from his mouth like a bad bite of food.

“Bound to him? How?” Aria’s brow furrowed and she moved forward slightly as Yirel placed a cautious hand to stop her from moving further.

“It’s ok Fenris, you can tell her.”

“He has me bound to follow his instruction through blood magic. I cannot fight him if he orders me to kill you.” He was staring at his hands now as they twisted in his lap. His bowed head reminded her of their meeting weeks ago and she felt sick.

“Ok...is there a way we can remove the bind?” She asked, her voice tentative as she tried to wrap her mind around it. Of course Danarius would have done such a thing.

“No, you can only replace it.” Fenris spat out, seeming to curl even more around himself.

“When Danarius is well, he can order Fenris to kill you. We both agree that we have to negate Danarius’ magical bind. Fenris has agreed to allow you-” But Yirel never got to finish.

“Out of the question!” Aria bellowed, her insides twisting at the mention of blood magic.

“Do not think I want this anymore than you do, it’s about self preservation on both ends. I suppose Yirel was wrong about you.” Fenris retorted, his tone full of anger and resentment.

“Hey, I never said I wouldn’t protect you but blood magic is wrong! I can’t just bind you to me and negate your own wishes!” She argued back causing his face to jerk towards hers, his eyes small and angered.

“You refuse to do what must be done to protect me and the other slaves, why am I not surprised.” He mocked as he turned to stare out the window, deflated.

“Fenris I-”

“No, I do not know why I agreed to this. Just let me leave.” He pushed past her and she stumble slightly, not just from his shove, but also his words.

“Fenris wait!” Yirel attempted to stop him as he brushed her off.

Once he was gone she turned to Aria, hands on her hips once again.

“I get it I get it, go talk to him...” She spoke as she pushed past Yirel and followed Fenris towards his room.

“Fenris wait, can we please talk?” She asked, her brow pinched once again between her forefinger and thumb.

“It is your choice if we talk Mistress.” He spoke the words like a slave, but his tone was biting.

“I’m sorry ok? I don’t feel comfortable with blood magic. I’m scared of what it can do to someone.” reminders of her mother bubbled to the forefront of her mind and her throat seized.

“I do not want this anymore than you do.” Fenris reminded her as he opened his door and stomped in. Aria stopped at the threshold helplessly as her eyes followed him. He turned to her, his face ringing in confusion as he stared at her stalled movements.

“What are you doing?” He finally asked as Aria awkwardly wrung her hands in his doorway.

“You have not invited me in.” She answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“I have not invited you in,” Fenris deadpanned as he stared at her as if she were insane. Slowly a laugh started to built up. “This is insanity. You refuse to bind me with blood magic to save us both, but you are content to pretend we have such pretenses as privacy.” His hands were up in the air as he moved them around in fury.

“Do I upset you?” She asked evenly, her eyes devoid of emotion.

“Upset you? You aggravate me to such lengths I am agreeing to blood magic!” if they weren't arguing over something so sensitive, she might have laughed at the ridiculous sight of the tall elf ranting and stomping about his room in nothing more than a thin silk robe that fell just past his knees.

“I’m sorry.” She spoke sincerely, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“I-what?” Fenris halted his movements and froze, staring at her as if she spoke an unknown language.

“I’m sorry, you’re right. I am being hypocritical. I am just worried about removing what little freedom you have with me. If it will work, I will do it, but only if we make some ground rules.” Awkwardly she cleared her throat at the end as she waited for him.

“...you don’t need to keep standing at the door.” Was his huffed response and Aria smiled. Stepping in she closed his door and moved towards his bed and pulled some of his new clothing from the packages they were wrapped in.

“Here, get dressed. Dinner will be a little later today, and afterwards we can discuss the ritual. But first..” Aria trailed off as she stepped close to Fenris, her body aligning with his.

She could feel the heat emanating from him as she raised a tentative hand and brushed the soft leather that was tight against his neck. Slowly, her fingers slipped around to the back and unclasped the cool silver buckle, her skin brushing so lightly his skin scorched. Moving at an aching pace, she pulled the collar from his neck and moved to give him space.

“You aren’t my pet, you don’t wear a collar.” She breathed out, as if she were going to cry. Then, just like that, she was gone leaving Fenris alone with his thoughts.

**~End Chapter 3~**


End file.
